Issue 49 Volume 61 December 5, 2014 1408 E. Benjamin Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701 Welcome Guests Please take a moment to fill out the Welcome Card in front of you. You can drop it off at our Connection Center or in the black boxes in the lobby. We are glad you are here! Get your tickets for the tonight s 6 p.m. performance at the Connection Center! Wednesday, December 24th @ 5:00 & 7:00 PM
Want to Improve Your Marriage? Forty-three percent of men feel they don t relate well with their wife, according to a survey of men on their satisfaction in life. Men s Fraternity s Quest for Authentic Manhood can help you improve your marriage and strengthen your relationship with your wife. Find out how as the Quest begins Tuesday, January 6, at 6 a.m. or Thursday, January 8, at 6 p.m. For more information or to sign up, check out the booth in the lobby. Check it out Nebraska Christian College Concert Dave Domina - recovering at home Logan Drabek - grandson of Dick and Judi Carlson, surgery recovery Ron Hilkemann - stroke recovery Troy Kremlacek - shoulder surgery recovery Stu Nelson - hip replacement recovery Vicky Roman - friend of Mike Hronek, heart problems/stroke December 12th at 7 PM December 13th at 3 & 7 PM Pray For Each Other Nebraska Christian College 12550 South 14th St. Papillion, NE TICKETS: $12 Call 402-935-9400 or go Online to nechristian.edu/upcoming-events Proceeds to Benefit the Open Door Mission Congregational Meetings At the Annual Meeting on December 14 the congregation will vote to approve Elders, the budget, and by-laws changes. Over the last few Bulletins we have introduced the five Elders who are up for re-affirmation and included a summary of the proposed amendments to the By-Laws. Elder Nominees and By-Laws as well as the Budget will be explained at the Informational Meeting this Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel. Copies of the current and proposed By- Laws and introductions to the Elders are available in the office window. A copy of the proposed 2015 budget will be available at the Informational Meeting and then in the office following the meeting. The Annual Congregational Meeting is at the end of the 11:00 am service. It will take just a few minutes. If you do not attend the 11:00 am service, absentee ballots will be available at the 9:15 services and in the church office during the week. For those who are not going to be with us on December 14, absentee ballots are available in the office beginning Monday, December 12. Members who are out of town can also email in their ballots. Voting is open to all members who are at least 16 years old. Draven Zoubek - grandson of Jody Schilousky, defibrillator put in Nov 18 firstchristian - Effectively love northeast Nebraska for Jesus Connection Christian Church in Columbus - Effectively love people in and around Columbus for Jesus
Two different visits, one clear message. Sitting at a coffee shop across a little table, warming my hands on a hot mug, the conversation opened my eyes more than the caffeine. This high octane visit about a common friend who was feeling discontent about FCC left me troubled. We were letting our family down. Later we met again. This time they shared a short list of things that they felt would help. Each suggestion spoke the same message. Connection with people matters. Sitting in my office facing a long time servant I heard it loud and clear, again. They were not pleased with some changes I had made. (I did not handle the visit well. I am thankful that they were gracious.) After pondering it over 24 hours, I believe I now understand their passion. They were saying the same thing as my other friend. Connection with people matters. Our next building phase will include a greatly needed space for connections, a comfortable lobby that allows for friends and family to visit outside of the traffic flow. But we cannot wait until then to connect. We need to know we are loved when we are together and missed when we are not. This happens as we know and are known by others. The family that continues to connect continues to bless. Building a building is less important than building connections with our friends and family of first Christian, and it is as simple as a few extra minutes catching up, a phone call, and yes even a hand written card from someone who cares. Connecting because it matters, Congratulations on Your Baptisms and Memberships Andrea Hemenway was baptized last Sunday, November 30 at firstchristian. Andrea also placed her membership with firstchristian that day. TJ and Meagan Cook, were baptized Wednesday, December 3 at firstchristian. TJ and Meagan also placed their membership with firstchristian that day. Congratulations in your decisions to follow Jesus and welcome to the firstchristian family. Our Deepest Sympathies Christmas Gifts For The Ministers Our hearts at FCC go out to the family of Wayne Kimball. Wayne passed away last Thursday. He was a member of FCC who continued to follow Jesus every day. Keep his wife, Marie and daughter, Karen Eisenbraun, in your thoughts and prayers. The funeral service for Wayne will be tomorrow at 2 p.m. at FCC. A box will be in the lobby for The Ministers Christmas Gifts. Cash placed in the box will be divided equally among our 5 ministers. If you prefer to designate your gift to an individual, please make a check out to the individual or place your gift in a card or envelope bearing the individual s name. Please do not make checks out to First Christian Church because these gifts cannot be run through the church treasury. A new Bible study coming for Women of FCC Twelve Women of the Bible: Life Changing Stories for Women Today by Lysa Terkeurst is the Bible study. This study will have two time options: 1) Monday mornings at 9 a.m. starting January 12 or 2) Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. starting January 13 for twelve weeks. The study guide will be $10. A sign-up table will be in the lobby on Sunday, December 14 and 21. You may also sign up by calling the office at 402-371-5734, Cindy Chleborad at 402-841-9987 (Mondays), or Chris McKibbon at 402-379-4596 (Tuesdays).
Mission support team friends, Please continue to pray for the water well project for the tiny village we started drilling in over a week ago. The crew is still having a hard time. Pray that this village of 300 will soon have a deep well with a pump in their village. The rains have stopped and dry season is starting. The spring they get water from will not be a good option as we roll into the dry months. Notice the little boy reading a booklet on the right side of the photo below. Before this picture, he went through this ABC book several times with me. He began to pick it up and he can read it almost perfectly now. It's the Lele ABC book we put together a few years back. We also distributed a few Bible story books in this village. There was an older man--kind of village elder--and father of the current chief who could also read these books fairly easily. I gave him several. Pray for this village--that more people there would come to understand the message of Jesus. Marc and Tina A Message from Marc and Tina Gebhard Guinea, West Africa Goal: $9,000 Year-to-Date Giving: CREATE A RHYTHM HOME FX PROJECT WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF CHRISTMAS AS A KID? It may be that one amazing present that made its way under the tree, but more than likely, you remember those little things you did with your family each year. The moments you experienced together that became your traditions. This month we ll be giving you some Christmas family experiences to try out. Maybe they ll become a new tradition. FOLLOW AN ADVENT CALENDAR. There are a gazillion different advent calendars to choose from on the Internet. Ok, maybe not a gazillion, but you get the idea. Find one that you like and follow it as a family. Let it help you keep your focus on Jesus and celebrating this special time of year together. Your kids will look forward with great excitement to what each new day brings! ADOPT A CHILD. Ok, so we re not talking about adopting a child that will come live in your home. And we re not even talking about just a child but an entire community. Our sister community in La Plaine, Haiti is supported through our $25 monthly sponsorships which provide funding for pastoral care, education, nutrition and community projects. Go to nwhcm.org/ villages/laplaine to see what your family can do!
Children & Youth Classes Nursery fully staffed 9:15 & 11 a.m. Birth to 2 years West Hallway Preschool 9:15 & 11 a.m. 2-3 s & 4-5 s West Hallway Elementary School 9:15 & 11 a.m. K through 4th grade North Hallway Middle School 9:15 a.m. 5th & 6th grade Jr. / Sr. High (FUEL) Class 9:15 a.m. 7th through 12th grade Adult Bible Classes 8 a.m. Subject: Revelation Subject: 1 Corinthians Fuel Room: North Hallway Worship Services Piano Josh Bleich Drums Brady Mueller Electric Tommy Zeggers Bass Grant DeFor Vocals Jennifer Mayfield, Julie DeFor Worship Leader Greg Springer Communion Offering Mike Mayfield Lead Ushers 9:15 a.m. Jeff Warren 11 a.m. Dick Field Songs Joy, Unspeakable Joy Chris Tomlin Hard the Herald/King of Heaven Paul Baloche Day After Day Kristan Stanfill O Come Emmanuel Paul Baloche O Holy Night Elders Phone Numbers Donald Holloway Chairman 402-371-7972 Steve Ball Treasurer 402-371-5734 Larry Glandt 402-371-6970 Jim Hopkins Secretary 402-371-1466 Kevin Mueller 402-379-4943 Tom Schmidt Vice Chairman 402-379-8293 Steve Smith 402-371-3470 November 30, 2014 Attendance Worship: (339, 223) 562 Sunday School: 126 Worship plus Sunday School: 688 Total attendees: 642 General Fund Budgeted weekly: $11,780 Received: $9,853 Budgeted ytd: $565,440 Received ytd: $609,682 Ministers Email Addresses Tim DeFor Lead Minister fcctim@conpoint.com Randall Coffin Associate Minister fccrandall@conpoint.com Marshal Hardy Youth Minister fccmarshal@conpoint.com Greg Springer Worship Arts Minister fccgreg@conpoint.com Kristi Carmichael Children s Minister fcckristi@conpoint.com Debt Service Needed Weekly: $2,600 Loan Payment: $11,300 Received this week: $648 Mission Giving Missions this week: $955 Missions ytd: $93,138